1. The Deron Williams – Kyle Lowry matchup: Kyle Lowry has been a key contributor in the Raptors’ return to the postseason for the first time since 2008, and he may be the best individual player in the series. Deron Williams, meanwhile, has had an inconsistent season in part due to injuries, and in part due to not being needed to carry the load nightly on a veteran Nets team. Williams will need to help slow Lowry defensively and keep pace in running his team from a numbers standpoint. At the very least, Brooklyn’s team defense needs to contain Lowry and prevent him from taking over at times the way he’s proven capable of doing throughout the regular season.

2. Experience vs. Exuberance: The Nets have a veteran roster built for the postseason, with players like Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett who have been there many times before. Toronto, meanwhile, has three starters who have never tasted the postseason. Jason Kidd has been there as a player, but has never had to make the adjustments necessary that a seven-game series requires from a head coach, while Dwane Casey has postseason experience coaching as an assistant, most recently on the 2011 Mavericks squad that won the title.

3. The best of the best: This may be one of the more competitive first round matchups, regardless of conference. The Raptors have the best record in the East since trading Rudy Gay in December, while the Nets have the best record in the conference since Jan. 1. The teams split the regular season series at two games apiece. This is a matchup between two teams who got used to winning essentially the entire second half of the season, and neither one is going to be an easy out.

PREDICTION

The postseason is where the Nets having that huge payroll will pay dividends. They have three guys that can take the game over offensively on any given night in Johnson, Williams and Pierce, and developed role players throughout the season that can provide what’s needed on both ends of the floor to simply get the job done. It won’t be easy, but this series will prepare Brooklyn for the challenge that awaits in the later rounds, and the Nets’ experience will end up being the difference.

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has denied the Toronto Raptors’ protest of their 102-99 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 20.

The league announced the decision Friday.

Toronto argued that the game officials incorrectly called for an instant replay review of whether the Raptors’ Terrence Ross released a 3-point shot prior to the expiration of actual time remaining.

The Replay Center official reviewed video of the play using a digital timer and determined the actual time remaining in the game expired before Ross released his shot, and the shot therefore did not count.

The league found that calling for an instant replay review in this case was consistent with the playing rules because the game officials determined that there was a clock malfunction.

You probably answered “the Clippers.” Most fans do. So do most NBA referees — And everyone else. Which is why after a recent loss to Golden State, veteran Marreese Speight (a Warrior last season) pointed to the Clippers complaining about the officiating as part of the problem.

He went on to say that the scouting report is you can get in the Clippers’ heads by knocking them around a little. Which seems pretty obvious when you watch teams play them. Shockingly, Clippers coach Doc Rivers disagrees with that. Via NBCLosAngeles.com.

“The officiating thing, I don’t think, is our issue. I will say that,” said Rivers about the technical fouls. “If that were the problem, then, Golden State would be struggling. They’ve been No. 2 the last two years in techs, too. I think we need to point fingers in another direction than that.”

Doc may not like it, but Speights is right.

The Warriors do complain too much, but they also have a ring so more is forgiven. The problem for the Clippers is that reputation for complaining starts with Rivers — he complains as much or more than any coach in the league. Then it filters down through Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

Is it fair that more is forgiven with winning? Moot question. Welcome to America. The Clippers complain a lot and have yet to get past the second round with this core. And at times there standing there complaining to the referees does get in the way of them getting back into defense, and they seem to go in a funk.

The Pelicans are disappointing this season — it is Anthony Davis vs. the world down there. Which is the main reason they are 7-16 this season. While things have gotten better since Jrue Holiday‘s return, Davis is averaging a league-best 31.4 points per game, it then drops off to Holiday at 15.4, and then E'Twaun Moore at 11.1.

When a team struggles, usually that is a bad sign for the coach. Not because it’s always their fault, but because GMs choose not to fire themselves for poor roster construction. Which leads to the question: Alvin Gentry, are you concerned about your job? (Warning, NSFW)

New Orleans’ struggles are not on Gentry, certainly not completely. He’d like a roster that can play uptempo, that has depth. What he got instead was a good point guard, an elite 4/5, a rookie in Buddy Hield that maybe pans out down the line, and then… nada. And the roster Gentry has often is banged up.

If anyone is in trouble, it is GM Dell Demps. Remember, Danny Ferry was hired last summer for the vague role of “special advisor.” Gentry is in his second year, and the issue is the roster he was given. But the Pelicans are a patient organization that values continuity, so… who knows. But the clock is ticking on Davis;, it’s years away, but the Pelicans need to build a team around him and are far from that right now.